Overview

The ninth commandment guards truth and our neighbor’s good name. This section gives the commandment (Q143), the duties it requires — the maintaining and promoting of truth and of our own and our neighbor’s good name (Q144), and the sins it forbids — all that is prejudicial to truth or injurious to reputation (Q145). The Larger Catechism’s Q145 is the longest and most searching catalog of the sins of the tongue in all the Standards.

The Questions & Answers

Q143. Which is the ninth commandment? A. The ninth commandment is, Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

Scripture Proofs (ESV):

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” (Exod. 20:16, ESV)

Q144. What are the duties required in the ninth commandment? A. The duties required in the ninth commandment are, the preserving and promoting of truth between man and man, and the good name of our neighbour, as well as our own; appearing and standing for the truth; and from the heart, sincerely, freely, clearly, and fully, speaking the truth, and only the truth, in matters of judgment and justice, and in all other things whatsoever; a charitable esteem of our neighbours; loving, desiring, and rejoicing in their good name; sorrowing for and covering of their infirmities; freely acknowledging of their gifts and graces, defending their innocency; a ready receiving of a good report, and unwillingness to admit of an evil report concerning them; discouraging tale-bearers, flatterers, and slanderers; …keeping of lawful promises; studying and practising of whatsoever things are true, honest, lovely, and of good report.

Scripture Proofs (ESV):

“Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.” (Eph. 4:25, ESV)

“…whatever is true, whatever is honorable… think about these things.” (Phil. 4:8, ESV)

Further proofs: Zech. 8:16; 3 John 12; Prov. 14:5, 25; 1 Pet. 4:8; 1 Cor. 13:4–7.

Q145 — the sins forbidden (summarized): The sins forbidden in the ninth commandment are, all prejudicing the truth, and the good name of our neighbours, as well as our own, especially in public judicature; giving false evidence, suborning false witnesses, wittingly appearing and pleading for an evil cause; passing unjust sentence; forgery, concealing the truth, undue silence in a just cause; speaking the truth unseasonably, or maliciously to a wrong end; perverting it to a wrong meaning; speaking untruth, lying, slandering, backbiting, detracting, tale-bearing, whispering, scoffing, reviling; rash, harsh, and partial censuring; misconstructing intentions, words, and actions; flattering, vainglorious boasting; thinking or speaking too highly or too meanly of ourselves or others; denying the gifts and graces of God; aggravating smaller faults; hiding, excusing, or extenuating of sins when called to a free confession; unnecessary discovering of infirmities; raising false rumours, receiving and countenancing evil reports, and stopping our ears against just defence; evil suspicion; …neglecting such things as are of good report, and practising or not avoiding ourselves, or not hindering what we can in others, such things as procure an ill name.

Scripture Proofs (ESV):

“You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people.” (Lev. 19:16, ESV)

“…a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.” (Prov. 6:16–19, ESV)

Further proofs: Ps. 15:3; 12:2–4; Prov. 11:13; 17:9; Rom. 1:29–30; James 4:11; Col. 3:9.

Exposition: Though its original setting is the law court (“false witness,” especially “in public judicature”), the ninth commandment reaches into all of life. The Larger Catechism’s Q144 frames it positively and beautifully: we are to preserve and promote truth and our neighbor’s good name — speaking “the truth, and only the truth,” from a “charitable esteem,” “rejoicing in their good name,” “sorrowing for and covering of their infirmities,” “a ready receiving of a good report, and unwillingness to admit of an evil report.” Q145’s vast catalog of sins reaches from courtroom perjury to the everyday sins of the tongue — “lying, slandering, backbiting, detracting, tale-bearing, whispering,” “rash, harsh, and partial censuring,” “misconstructing intentions,” “evil suspicion,” and even thinking “too highly or too meanly of ourselves.” It is a mirror held up to the heart’s habits of speech, and few escape its searching gaze.

Connections

• WSC Q76–78 — the ninth commandment, its duties and sins.
• WCF 22 (Of Lawful Oaths and Vows — truthfulness in solemn speech).
• Loci: The ninth commandment; truthfulness; the sins of the tongue (James 3); charitable judgment (1 Cor. 13:7).

Pastoral & Practical Significance

Of all the commandments, this one may be broken most often and noticed least, for the tongue is “a restless evil” (James 3:8) and gossip wears the disguise of conversation — even of prayer requests. The Larger Catechism’s exhaustive lists are meant to awaken a sleepy conscience: how many of Q145’s sins do we commit weekly without a thought? “Misconstructing intentions,” “evil suspicion,” “aggravating smaller faults,” “receiving and countenancing evil reports,” “thinking too highly of ourselves” — these are the ordinary furniture of fallen speech and thought. But the glory of this commandment is its positive vision (Q144): not merely to avoid harming reputations but to promote our neighbor’s good name — to speak well of others, interpret their actions charitably (1 Cor. 13:7), defend the absent, receive good reports gladly and evil ones reluctantly, and “cover” others’ infirmities in love (1 Pet. 4:8). This flows directly from the gospel: our God is the God of truth who keeps every promise, His Son is “the truth,” and His people, indwelt by “the Spirit of truth,” are to put away all falsehood. Before you speak of another, ask: is it true, is it kind, is it necessary — and would I say it to their face? A tongue tamed by grace is one of the surest signs of a heart changed by it.

For Memory & Reflection

• Memorize Q143 and the heart of Q144; anchor verses: Ephesians 4:25 and Philippians 4:8. Read Q145 slowly as a mirror.
• Q144 calls me to promote others’ good name and “cover” their infirmities. Am I as eager to defend an absent person as I am tempted to diminish them?
• Which of Q145’s everyday sins — evil suspicion, rash censuring, tale-bearing, misconstruing intentions — most marks my speech and thoughts?